OUR STORY
Recognizing the need for more interchange among those involved in government foresight, the Public Sector Foresight Network was co-organized by Nancy Donovan of the U.S. Government Accountability Office and Dr. Clem Bezold of the Institute for Alternative Futures. It has grown from a 2011 breakfast meeting at the World Future Society annual conference to day-long meetings in subsequent years. Issues discussed include leading examples of foresight efforts, lessons and challenges in doing foresight, and how to best communicate and sustain foresight activities.
Attendees have included representatives of U.S. federal, state and local governments and participants from Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Finland, New Zealand, China, Korea, the UK and other countries as well as the UN, NATO, academia and the consulting world. Agendas and materials from past meetings can be found here.
Some men see things as they are and say, 'why'?
I dream things that never were, and say, 'why not'?
--George Bernard Shaw
JOIN
If you are interested in joining the Public Sector Foresight Network and the e-mail exchange, please review the following.
The objectives of the Public Sector Foresight Network are:
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To spread awareness of foresight activities taking place around the world, at all levels of governments,
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To support and encourage government foresight practitioners, and
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To enhance the quality of foresight by sharing lessons and best practices.
Membership in PSFN is open to government officials involved in foresight and those who work with them. For the time being there is no cost to belong to PSFN.
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PSFN has hosted a one-day meeting each year on government foresight since 2012 in cities ranging from Toronto to Chicago and in recent years this has included virtual participation of foresight practitioners from all regions of the world. In some years, this gathering has been held jointly with the Federal Foresight Community of Interest and the Association of Professional Futurists. Future meetings will be announced. 2021 events were held virtually as well as those in the foreseeable future.
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Presentations at the PSFN in-person meeting and electronic mailing list postings cannot be used for direct marketing of foresight services or tools. To join PSFN, visit https://groups.google.com/g/public-sector-foresight-network to make a request. Once you are accepted, you will be automatically linked to the e-mail exchange.
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By joining you indicate that you agree to the following:
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I am a government official involved in foresight or I work on foresight with government.
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I will not use PSFN meetings or the electronic mailing list for marketing purposes.
Once you apply, you’ll be informed shortly of your membership.